Sintered diamond heat exchanger apparatus

Abstract

A heat exchanging medium is provided which is constructed out of sintered diamond. The medium can be formed into various desired shapes such as tubes, mesh, screens, granules or the like. The sintered diamond forms the heat transfer medium of a heat exchanger or regenerator.

1 . A regenerator for exchanging heat energy between a reciprocating fluid flow and a heat storage medium comprising:
 a housing;   the heat storage medium including a plurality of sintered diamond elements within the housing, the plurality of sintered diamond elements having a fluid passage therethrough;   a plurality of insulating elements within the housing and spaced between the sintered diamond elements, the insulating elements having a fluid passage therethrough, the fluid passage of the insulating elements in fluid communication with the fluid passage of the sintered diamond elements.   
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the sintered diamond elements comprise irregularly shaped diamond dust particles sintered together such that the sintered diamond elements are porous. 
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the sintered diamond elements comprise a plurality of disks placed adjacent one another between the insulating elements. 
   
   
       4 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the sintered diamond elements comprise a plurality of plates placed adjacent one another between the insulating elements. 
   
   
       5 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the sintered diamond elements comprise a plurality of tubes placed adjacent one another between the insulating elements. 
   
   
       6 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the sintered diamond elements are made from diamond particles of between 0.001 and 500 microns. 
   
   
       7 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the sintered diamond elements are made by placing diamond particles in a mold and heating the particles to sufficient temperature to fuse the particles together. 
   
   
       8 . The apparatus of  claim 7  wherein the mold has cavities shaped in the form of wire-like mesh. 
   
   
       9 . The apparatus of  claim 7  wherein the mold has cavities shaped in the form of tubes. 
   
   
       10 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein each of the sintered diamond elements have an opening therethrough and each of the insulating elements have an opening therethrough, and further including an insulating material within each of the openings of the sintered diamond elements and each of the insulating elements. 
   
   
       11 . The apparatus of  claim 10  wherein the openings in the sintered diamond elements and the openings of the insulating elements are substantially through the center of the sintered diamond elements and the insulating elements. 
   
   
       12 . A heat exchanger for exchanging heat energy between a first fluid flow and a second fluid flow comprising:
 a housing;   a plurality of sintered diamond elements within the housing, the plurality of sintered diamond elements having a first fluid passage associated therewith and a second fluid passage associated therewith, and the first fluid passage is isolated from the second fluid passage.   
   
   
       13 . The apparatus of  claim 12  wherein the sintered diamond elements comprise a plurality of tubes of sintered diamond and wherein the first fluid passage is through the plurality of tubes and the second fluid is between the plurality of tubes. 
   
   
       14 . The apparatus of  claim 12  wherein the sintered diamond elements comprise a first plurality of tubes and a second plurality of tubes the first plurality of tubes forming the first fluid passage and the second plurality of tubes forming the second fluid passage wherein the first plurality of tubes and the second plurality of tubes are embedded in a block of sintered diamond. 
   
   
       15 . The apparatus of  claim 12  wherein the sintered diamond elements are made from diamond particles of between 0.001 and 500 microns. 
   
   
       16 . The apparatus of  claim 12  wherein the sintered diamond elements are made by placing diamond particles in a mold and heating the particles to sufficient temperature to fuse the particles together. 
   
   
       17 . The apparatus of  claim 12  wherein the mold has cavities in the shape of tubes. 
   
   
       18 . A regenerator for exchanging heat energy between a reciprocating fluid flow and a heat storage medium comprising:
 a housing;   an insulating core;   the heat storage medium including a plurality of sintered diamond elements within the housing and surrounding the insulating core, the plurality of sintered diamond elements having a fluid passage therethrough;   a plurality of insulating elements within the housing and spaced between the sintered diamond elements, the insulating elements having a fluid passage therethrough, the fluid passage of the insulating elements in fluid communication with the fluid passage of the sintered diamond elements.